


A Wild Guess

by NotQuiteHumanAnymore



Category: X-Men - All Media Types, X-Men Evolution
Genre: Idiots in Love, M/M, This wound up being two fics mashed together, Wrong Number AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-29
Updated: 2017-04-29
Packaged: 2018-10-25 10:02:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10761984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotQuiteHumanAnymore/pseuds/NotQuiteHumanAnymore
Summary: Kurt gets a text from a wrong number.This text leads to many a worrying revelation, and a guessing game that Kurt can't believe he suggested.





	A Wild Guess

**Author's Note:**

> I.... don't know what this is. An anon came into my inbox and said "I'd do literally anything for you to write more nightsilver" and?? I will write nightsilver any day of the week!! This tiny ship owns my soul.

Kurt didn't text much. Sure, he could, and sometimes it was convenient, but he lived with everyone that he needed to talk to.

Well, except his parents, but he preferred to call them when he talked to them. And, of course, he had Mystique's number, but he didn't text her.

He didn't text anyone, until today.

His phone buzzed, the screen lighting up where it sat inside of his backpack. He almost ignored the text in favor of continuing to try and focus on the lesson, but his phone buzzed again. And, well, he was bored.

He surreptitiously fished his phone from his bag, dimming the screen quickly while his teacher's back was turned.

The number wasn't listed in his phone, but the text intrigued him.  
I have to kill him, quickly followed by the second text, _idk how to hit on him, so he has to die._  
Kurt choked back a laugh, and couldn't stop himself from shooting a text back.   
*Well, that seems a bit extreme.*

_Pfft. What would you suggest, then, know-it-all?_  
Kurt thought for a moment. Sure, this person was texting a wrong number, and Kurt ought to tell them that, but he was having more fun than he cared to admit.

*Well I’ve always been an advocate for healthy, open communication.*

_Who are you and what have you done with my sister?_

_Oh, shit._

_Wrong number. Sorry_

Kurt felt a twinge of disappointment, sure that that was going to be the end of it, but his phone buzzed again, drawing his eye, once again, down away from the board at the front of the class.

_Should’ve guessed, lol, not even Lance would suggest healthy communication._

*I worry about your friends.*

_HA, you don’t even know me. You should be worried FOR my friends_

*Am I worried because your automatic reaction to a cute boy is 'he has to die' or because they're all more sensible than you?*

_OKAY-_

And by now, Kurt knew better than to try and text back immediately, in the event this wound up being a multi-text extravaganza. And how he already knew this random person's texting style was a little odd, in his opinion. Sure enough, though, another text came through, quickly followed by another, and another.

_It's not just that this boy is CUTE, it's that this boy is LITERALLY TOO PRETTY FOR HIS OWN GOOD_

_He's pretty enough to start a war. I'm just looking out for the greater good._

_BUT YOU KNOW WHAT GETS ME?_

No text was immediately forthcoming, so Kurt felt safe enough to send a quick:

*No, probably not*

_right, duh._

_sorry, total stranger, it just felt like I knew you for a second there_

_What gets me is that this STUPID PRETTY BOY is always hiding how pretty he is_

Kurt choked back a laugh. He could practically feel this person's indignation from through the phone.

"Mr. Wagner." A chilly voice said from directly beside him. Kurt looked up to see his professor glaring at him. "Something you'd like to share with the class?"

"Uh," Kurt said, "Not particularly?" For a second, it looked like the teacher was going to confiscate his phone and read his texts to the class.

"Then I recommend you go see if you'd prefer to share the joke with the principal." Kurt sighed. Of course. There wasn't a single week that went by that this teacher didn't try and get him into trouble. He grabbed his bag and the book he hadn't looked at since the start of the lesson, rolled his eyes for good measure, and left the classroom.

The trek down to the main office was a familiar one. He practically had his name on one of the waiting chairs in the hallway. He knew how this would go. The principal would be informed by the desk clerk that he was outside, Kurt would get a sympathetic smile and a false promise that he'd talk to the teacher about singling students out, and he'd be sent off to the library to wait for his next class.

They had it down to a science. At least the principal wasn't letting the teacher fail him, though Kurt was sure he'd love to.

To his surprise, though, the chair he usually sat in was already occupied.

Pietro Maximoff sat in it, one arm resting on the back of the chair, and his legs stretched out languidly in front of him. Kurt tried to ignore the way his heart fluttered ever so slightly in his chest.

_Not now, aesthetic appreciation_ he thought, taking in the sight of Pietro’s lithe figure, looking every inch the Byronic hero, as he stared into the distance, without a care in the world. Kurt sat gingerly in the other chair, placing his bag between them, doing his best to ignore it as Pietro turned his eyes to Kurt. He couldn't help but notice that Pietro didn't have anything with him. Pietro's gaze sent goosebumps across Kurt's skin as Pietro surveyed him.

"Aren't you X-Men supposed to be, like, goody-two-shoes or something?"

"Yeah, sure, tell that to my history teacher." Kurt snorted. Pietro made a face that had just enough of a smile to make Kurt think that Pietro was commiserating with him.

"What'd Welch get you for?" He asked, guessing correctly. Kurt laughed a little, surprised.

"Texting in class."

"Really? Small world. Didn't take you for a texting kind of person, though. Your friend Kitty, on the other hand-"

Kitty was always texting. Kurt could see how he would be considered someone who never texted, if the person he was being compared to was Kitty.

"Yeah, I'm... not usually." Kurt shrugged, figuring there was no real harm in telling Pietro. They weren't friends, they weren't even on the same side, but this was the longest they'd ever talked, and Kurt had to admit, it was kind of nice. "I got texted by a wrong number," He shrugged, "And the lesson was super boring, so I responded back."

Kurt wasn't sure what sort of reaction he was expecting from Pietro, but it certainly wasn't laughter.

Pietro laughed, all the same, and it almost sounded a little desperate. Kurt wasn't sure whether or not to be offended, but then Pietro pulled his phone from his pocket, unlocked it faster than Kurt's eyes could follow and showed Kurt the screen, still holding back small, disbelieving chuckles. Kurt blinked, his eyes registering the texts on the screen. He glanced over at Pietro, who was now hunched over, his face in his free hand, breathing deeply, like his laughter had rid him of the ability to sit up straight.

Kurt moved his eyes back to the screen, and found that his laughter was rooted less in desperation and more in irony.

He saw his text conversation mirrored back to him on the screen of Pietro's phone. "Huh," he said, a smile tugging at his lips as the humor dawned on him. "What are the odds?" Pietro straightened, pulling his phone down and tucking it back into his pocket.

"Wanda could probably tell you. She has a knack for probability." Pietro craned his neck to see inside of the office, where the desk clerk had not only not seen them, she was taking a brief nap at her desk. "You know what?" He turned a wicked smile to Kurt and leaned closer. "Let's get out of here."

"What?"

"What's going to happen in there? We'll get a lecture on responsibility and respect and be sent on our merry way. No one will know if we leave right now."

Pietro had a point.

And Kurt couldn't deny the thrill that ran through him at the thought of leaving with Pietro.

Pietro must have seen the decision in his eyes, because he leaned down and scooped up Kurt's bag, hooking it over one shoulder.

Kurt was on his feet and walking before Pietro could even open his mouth to say another word.

"Come on, then." he teased. Pietro almost looked surprised, but he hurried to fall into step with Kurt, his smile turning quickly pleased.

"One text conversation and I'm already corrupting you," He chirped, "What would the professor say if he could see you now?" Kurt rolled his eyes, surprised to find that getting along with Pietro was much simpler than he'd ever anticipated. It felt... natural.

"Speaking of," He began, his voice sly, "Who is this boy that's so pretty he has to die?" Pietro's eyes went wide and he sputtered for a second.

"I, uh, I was hoping you'd forgotten that." He admitted.

"Our origin story?" Kurt laughed, "Never!" Pietro sighed, lamenting his fate.

"You wound me, dear stranger." Kurt ignored the sudden, hopeful warmth that spread through him at the clear term of endearment. Pietro had been lamenting someone's prettiness only minutes before. If Kurt was a list, pretty wasn't on it.

"What if I guess it?" Kurt asked, steamrolling over his own disappointment to keep the conversation rolling. Pietro surveyed him curiously.

"You know what, blue? If you can guess his name, I won't lie."

"Wait, really?"

"On my honor."

"Not that you have much left." Pietro placed his hand over his heart, but Kurt hoped that there had been enough mirth in Kurt's voice for Pietro to know he was joking. "How many hints do I get?"

"You-" Pietro squawked, "You already have them all!" Pietro's words were clipped, and his cheeks heated visibly.

"What? All I know is that he's pretty enough to warrant murder, and that he's always hiding it? That could mean at least half of the boys in our school _alone_.” Pietro looked at Kurt like there was something very obvious that he was missing. Pietro shouldered open the door to the school and Kurt followed him through it to the fresh air outside. He wasn’t sure why it felt so good to be outside, wasn’t sure where the thrill came from, whether it was because he was ditching class or because he was with Pietro, but he basked in the sunshine on his face all the same.

“Okay, fine, how about this,” Pietro paused for a moment, thinking. “He has an accent.” Kurt thought about all of the boys with accents that could be considered “pretty” but it was still an intimidatingly long list.

“Counter offer,” Kurt said, “I get three more hints,” Pietro made a noise, but Kurt spoke over it, “ _but_ , I only get three guesses, total.”

“Why do you want to know so badly?” Pietro asked weakly. Kurt shrugged.

He didn’t know.

He just knew that something drew him to Pietro. He knew that the thought of Pietro being in love with someone left Kurt feeling off. He couldn’t stop that same hopeful thought from before from raising its head and wondering if Pietro could possibly be talking about him. The thought made Kurt’s heart stumble in its measured beats and Kurt understood.

He couldn’t hardly believe the answer, but he understood. He had feelings for Pietro. A crush, at the very least. And all at once he had an answer to Pietro’s question. He had _too many_ answers to Pietro’s question. He could give any number of reasons.

He wanted to know who had been quick enough to steal Pietro’s heart. He wanted to know, definitively, that he’d never have a chance with the speedster.

Part of him wanted to claw the boy’s eyes out, see how pretty he was _then_ , but that was the part of him related to Mystique, so he smothered it.

“Everyone deserves to be happy, speedy, and you’re no exception.” And that was the truth, but only part of it, and the nicest part of it, at that.

Kurt didn’t mention the dizzying thought that he wanted Pietro to be happy with _him_.

“Well, aren’t you sweet?” Pietro snorted, adjusting his grip on Kurt’s bag.

“It’s hereditary.” Kurt deadpanned, ignoring the part of him that was still reeling from, well, everything. Kurt saw the second that the joke registered in Pietro’s mind, and the next second he was bent double, gasping with peals of laughter.

“Oh, man, I am _so_ glad I messed up Wanda’s phone number.” Pietro gasped between giggles as Kurt pulled him further away from the school.

“It wasn’t that funny,” Kurt mumbled, pleased. Pietro straightened, wiping tears from his eyes.

“See, no, I live with your mother. She is the antithesis of sweet. It was _exactly_ that funny.” Pietro stood again, straightening his back and sighed.

"Two hints?" Pietro bartered and Kurt nodded, conceding to two hints instead of the three he desperately wanted, "two hints, three guesses, and if you guess wrong, you'll never know." Somehow Kurt doubted that. He'd find out, eventually. It was clear that the odds of someone being exposed to Pietro's charms and not wanting to at least spend more time with him were astronomically low.

"We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?" Kurt boasted, turning a cocky smile to Pietro. "What are my hints?" Pietro made a noise in the back of his throat, like he was thinking hard and turned to look at Kurt. Kurt shivered under the weight of his eyes, his heart picking up speed.

How, he wondered, had he gone this long without realizing that the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach wasn't the same restless feeling he got whenever he prepared to fight against any of the Brotherhood members? How had it taken him so long to understand that when he wanted to reach out and take hold of Pietro, it wasn't because he wanted the advantage in a fight, but because he wanted to be near him, he wanted to _hold on_ to him.

"I'll think about it." Pietro said at length. "And then I'll get back to you." Kurt made an involuntary noise of disappointment.

"And in the meantime?"

"Well, it's a beautiful day." Pietro smiled, and it was dazzling. "It would be a shame if we didn't enjoy it."

 

After that, Kurt couldn't help but feel as though he were the poster child for a slippery slope scenario. Spending time with Pietro was addictive. And it was odd, he noticed that the second that the X-Men and the Brotherhood started to clash again, because it was bound to happen again, no one's hearts were really in it. The conflict seemed to fizzle. Tabitha hadn't ever really _left_ the X-Men, at least not in so many words. Lance did his best to help the Brotherhood, but his relationship with Kitty strained whatever commitment that he'd had towards the "cause" they fought towards.

And it became increasingly clear that the battles they were fighting were for causes that they didn't believe in.

Conflicts started to fizzle before they began. Who wanted to fight a war for something they didn't believe in? And moreover, who wanted to fight their family? Their friends?

Barriers between the two groups faded to nothing, and their difference became things, not to mock, but to applaud in the vein of individuality.

Mutant _solidarity_ was more important in these times than winning the loyalty of one person, or pleasing the staff of the X Mansion.

And Kurt...

Kurt stopped guessing.

He was terrified that, once he was out of guesses, then he and Pietro would have no reason to spend time together.

But that decision was made gradually, after two guesses and his two hints.

"So do you want your hints now, or after you guess?" Pietro asked, without preamble, his voice crackling slightly, like he was shifting on the other end of the line.

"I do have my first guess." Kurt responded, ignoring the part of himself that wanted to be wrong for the worst reasons.

_It's not you_ He told himself, settling the phone between his shoulder and his cheek.

"Shoot." Pietro said, and was it Kurt's imagination, or did he sound nervous?

"That guy-uh, I don't know his name? But he's always in a trench coat, and he's got an accent? I've heard him speaking French a few times. And he's got really weird eyes," Kurt cursed himself, if he was right, he'd just insulted the guy Pietro had a crush on. That was not the way to maintain a friendship, "Like, don't get me wrong, it's super cool-" Pietro cut him off, cackling wildly.

"It's- HA!- It's not _Remy!_ " Pietro laughed for a little longer and Kurt couldn't even feel embarrassed, he was too busy being relieved. "Okay, here's your hint: we both know him. Like, we both know his name." Pietro's smile was clear in his voice, and Kurt ignored the part of himself that desperately wanted to see the grin stretching across his face.

"Okay, well that helps." He chirped, undeterred as Pietro continued to laugh.

 

His second guess was slightly more serious, a person that Pietro could arguably have been talking about. They had gotten closer over the past few weeks, and Kurt was pleasantly surprised to find that Pietro was a very affectionate person.

Kurt was curled up beside him, pretending to read while Pietro absently played with his hair and chattered to little Illyana about something or another. And then, when Piotr finally came and picked her up, Pietro just sat beside him in a companionable silence.

Kurt almost didn't want to guess. But Pietro's eyes-the way his gaze had lingered-well, he had two guesses left, and he had to know.

"I have my second guess." Kurt said, wanting desperately to be wrong, half sure he was, and wanting his next clue all the same. Pietro's fingers stilled at the base of his neck.

"Hmm?" Pietro asked, sounding nervous again. Kurt motioned toward the now empty doorway with his book.

"Colossus-er-Piotr?"

There was no chorus of laughter this time, just a small huff of air, the smallest sigh.

Kurt tried not to take that as a bad sign. He started babbling again.

"He's got a pretty face, when he's not made of steel." Kurt kept his voice light, teasing. Pietro made another humming noise.

"He's not my type. Far too tall." Kurt smiled, pleased. Pietro shifted and unwittingly pulled Kurt closer to him. Kurt's heart leapt but he fought to keep himself from reading into it. "Okay, your hint..." Pietro trailed off, and Kurt gave up any pretense of reading, content to just feel Pietro's chest rise and fall in time with his. "He's our age."

"I'll keep that in mind." Kurt said, settling back into his place in Pietro's arms.

He wanted that sentence to hold true for the rest of time.

He only had one guess left, and he wasn't sure what the final guess would mean for them.

Their friendship, that was.

Nevermind the fact that if Kurt guessed and guessed right, he'd feel morally obligated to set Pietro up with whoever this faceless, nameless boy was. Kurt didn't think he'd be able to handle that.

So, Kurt stopped guessing. And Pietro didn't seem to notice, he let his guard down around Kurt all of the time, now.

Kurt didn't realize that he was letting down _his_ guard, too.

So, it caught him entirely by surprise when Pietro asked him about it.

"Wh-what?" He said, realizing that not only had he just been staring at Pietro as he laughed (because beating Kurt soundly at Mario Kart was cause for celebration, and all of Kurt's protests about cheating were met with laughter), he'd completely missed what Pietro asked. Pietro snickered, rolling his eyes, but it was too affectionate for Kurt to feel hurt.

"I said, are you ever going to guess again? You know," he took on a tone of pseudo-mockery, "our origin story?" Kurt settled back in his seat again, ignoring the racing of his heart that meant Pietro was near. He threw on a grin as he met Pietro's eyes.

"Well, obviously! I just want to know I'm right first." Pietro rolled his eyes.

“Here,” He said, shifting closer and propping his head up onto his hand. “I’ll give you _one_ more hint, but then you have to guess, okay?” Prolonged eye contact should have made Kurt feel awkward, but Pietro didn’t seem to mind that he was staring. A knot of nervousness curled in his chest, next to his racing heart.

“Sure,” Kurt said, unsure of whose name he was going to guess because, well, his real guess was himself.

And he was probably just projecting his feelings onto Pietro.

“What’s the hint?”

Pietro didn't look away as he spoke again, and his voice was pitched so low that Kurt had to lean forward a bit to hear. A thread of nervousness laced Pietro’s tone, but his eyes were sure in their unwavering gaze.

“I could look into his eyes forever and never want to look away.”

Kurt wasn't sure if it was because Pietro was looking at him as intensely as he was, or the words themselves, or some combination of the two, but Kurt felt himself flush, and a strange ringing sounded in his ears. It took him another moment to recognize it as the sound of his heart racing.

He saw the instant that Pietro realized what he wanted to do. Pietro reached for Kurt as he leaned forward the bare few inches that separated them, twining his fingers in Kurt's hair and using his superspeed to help guide Kurt along. A shock went up Kurt’s spine as their lips finally met.

It wasn't everything Kurt had thought about when he encouraged the idea that Pietro was talking about him, instead of some mystery boy. It didn't even come close.

Fantasy would never, ever live up to the reality.

And Kurt, for one, never wanted to have to give up reality, if this was what it entailed.

Time passed, Kurt couldn't have said how much, but their bubble of happiness didn't stop it, and eventually, the pair did have to breathe again.

Pietro was beautiful.

That was the thought that raced through Kurt's mind as his eyes fluttered back open to see Pietro drinking in his expression. His eyes were wide and his cheeks were flushed and his mouth was stretched into a smile and he was _dazzling_.

Kurt felt dizzy at the sight. Or did he feel giddy? He couldn't tell, everything in him felt like, at the brush of Pietro's lips on his, Pietro had found a way to jumble his thoughts and feelings together in a beautiful, messy cacophony.

“So what's your guess?” Pietro teased. And if it weren't for the fact that Kurt had just been kissed silly and was currently seated, quite comfortably, in Pietro's lap, he might have laughed.

“Scott Summers.” He said, tossing in an eye roll for good measure.

Pietro laughed once and swooped back in to press a kiss to Kurt's lips again, now that he could.

“You caught me.” He sighed, all drama, even now. “You know my dirty little secret.” Kurt giggled at his antics.

“Told you I'd figure it out.” Pietro didn't reply, too busy, as it happened, kissing Kurt to respond.

 

**Author's Note:**

> But I want you all to know that I still love nightsilver and I will take literally almost any prompt you send me. Come take me up on this offer @scarletwix!!


End file.
